east coast adventure cont.

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GOOD LUCK HAAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIZ (AND ME!!!)
HAPPY EASTER ALL
GOOD LUCK HIJINX FOR OPENING NIGHT

Have I missed anything....?????

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well, I'm back from sailing and have a day free before heading off to Fraser Island tomorrow for the night!!

So Monday night in Cairns I went to Gilligan's bar again.. holds 1,000 people.. everyone super friendly.. Luke and James looking after me again, and we have a new room-mate Sian who was out with us too. Lots of Poms! Went to bed and was woken up by trouble and trouble. Gill's is great, very greateful to have air con but was a bit cold so was lucky to have a special auzzie hot water bottle for a few nights.

Tuesday was an early start.. I was out on the Ocean Free boat today to see Green Island and snorkle. The crew were skipper Rob, Lee, George and Ali. Sea was very rough!! Day started with them giving us muffins and tea/coffee.. which was nice.. but a few people's ended up in the sea..

So sailing out to Green island.. I was feeling a bit nervous about the snorkeling.. and then we dropped anchor in the MIDDLE of the ocean and I was very nervous.. somehow i thought it would be in a cove or something.. Anyhow we were given a talk about snorkeling.. and luckily offered a speicl type of lifejacket which I had. Then I took my time going to the steps and Lee took one look at my face and asked if I wanted him to come in with me.. so I had Lee, a life ring and a life jacket!! He was great and I couldn't stop the panicky breathing thing but still managed to see a lot. In the afternoon George took me out again, which was great, and we found nemo and all sorts of differenet fish, black and white, blues/greens, huge fish and lots of different coloured coral.
Stopped at Green Island which takes 20 mins to walk around and has a resort in the middle.. a great place. The view is like soemthing dreams are made of. Often we have been told to take only photos and memories and leave just footprints which I think is great.
Sailing back and the boys brought out.. sparkling wine.. a cheese board.. a fruit board.. and a cake baord.. all whilst we were tilting a lot, all without spilling anything!! Very impressive.
Tues night I went to... Gilligan's bar.. it was the smallest bunjee jump in the world.. you go by your waist not feet, sumo wrestling in the suits that people put on.. a band and a dj.. so a busy night!!

Wednesday I went up north to Cape Tribulation. Saw Mount Sorry, a lookout spot which was beuatiful. Stoped at Prt Nelson (quite quiet town!), Daintree where we went on a botanical walk for 30 mins in the forrest. Went on a crocodile crusie and saw a 5m croc, as well as little ones. Went to Mossman's gorge but couldn't swim as river was to high and was dangerous - it has rained a lot this week!! A bit of a long day driving, and not so much time in all the places.
Wed eve I was out with.. guess who! And no we mixed it up a bit and went to PJ O'briens which is the big irish bar there.. and I am very sorry Wales becasue they replayed the rugby and I know now you won.. I had thought England won.. so sorry about that!!! Had an early night of sorts.

Thursday and Luke and James had hired a car for the day and invited me along - they were goign up north, where I wnet yesterday but I felt I hadn't seen enough so went with them. we stopped at different places anyway whcih was great - cascades where there were lots of little wtaerfalls, spent more time in Port Nelson which was great - had breakfast there! Walked around the daintree and across a swing bridge.. Went to Palm Cove and met Like's friend's mum who owned a beautiful restuarnet out there. Headed abck to Cairns and had food in this big pub/restaurant place with huge TV screens for sport. That was about 10pm, and I went off to get ready for the grehound.

Friday at 00:25am I was o the geyhound to Airlie beach.. I had been warned that the driver herds you on and off liek cattle and that is so true.. every two hours we stopped.. and then at 5am we were in townsville.. outside a service station that was cloed until 6am.. and the bus dissapeared for an hour and a half.. to get a new driver and be cleaned.. umm!! So I arrived in airle at 11am.. on time.. amd went to check in with my sailing trip that started at 1pm. Nipped to the net cafe and casued havoc with my pics.. had lunch, went to post office etc.

So sailing and I wa son Eureka 2 with 16 people and 2 crew, Dave skipper and Zach crew. Most people were coupdle or groups of friends, but evrone was very ncie. It was a pretty quiet boat, a buit weird in that Dave and Zach clealry didn't get on.. Dave hadn't sailed the baot before and Zach was back after a 6 week holiday and clearly didn't wnat to be there! Company wasw Oz adventure sailign by the way! But all in all it was great - not a party boat but I actually think that ws good and sailing along was more suited to gentle conversations and so on.

Friday we sailed near Whitsunday Island - names as it was discovered on Whitsunday..but actually Monday as CC had his time wrong.. Anyhow we anchored for the nigth after a fair bit of tilting.. tacking and the boom going?.....and had food and wine/beers. Was beautiful.. stars were out, could see orien, couthern cross.

Sat a 6:30am start.. bearkfast then we motored to Whitesudays beach. Went for a wlk to the lookout then to swim in the beach with out stinger suits on (like wet suits but thinner) as there are a lot of nasty jellyfih in the water.

Sailed further aroudn the islands.. I helped put the head sail up and did my titanic bit right at the top of the baot.. I had to help make sure the sial ran through the runners ok.. so was fun and not too scary.. but then I had the problem of how to get back to the middle of the boat. so ended up crawling on my ahnds and knees down the middle and that worked although am sure I looked daft - much better than falling into ocean..!! In the afternoon we went snorkeling.. I had a 'fun tube' float with me and did good! Was last one out of the water :-) Swan through a whoel group of little fish who all moved out of my way...!

Took the little dingy boat to an island and watched the sun go down.. my first proper time to just sit and watch the sun.. In the evenign the wine and beer came out again.. as did the cd the crew had broguht with them - 176 tracks and I swear 175 of them were Pink..!

Sunday up early again, qucik breakie, then a snorkel.. I was getting the hang of this by now!! Still had my flot though.. no plans to scuba dive.. very tircky to get abck into dingy after as their boat had no steps... NB Ocean Free perfect for a new snorkeler, they had a great system, and a guy on board as a designated lookout.

Back in Airle.. and I headed to the lagoon for a shower... did I mention there were no showeres on the boat..?! Kept bumping into people from the crusie as Airlie is a small place! Relaxed by the lagoon, bouhg a VERY BELATED mother's day card.. in OZ its 1st May by the way!! Had baramundi and crips.. not bad! And got the greyhound to Hervery bay.

Over night grehound again.. luckily not too full so two seats for me! Met an incredibel girl who is from Israel and has just spent two eyars in their army - compulosy, she is from Telavive.. and was tellign me how great it is for her to see a county at peace.. that was prety chocking.

I think the people I have met have really made this trip. So unique, everyone has a story, so many great tales.

So at Hervery Bay there is a row of minibuses to great the bus.. and you go to the one you are booked in on ie Palace for me. If you don't have a hostel you can ask them if they have room but they are not allowed to approach you.

10am and I was able to check into my room - pretty good! I'm sharing with two grils I just met comign down on the bus! On east coast everyone is doing same route, same places etc. See a lot of familiar faces!!!

So I've checked out the beach today, the supermarket, and now the net in the hostel!!

Cool dingos pick me up at 7:40am tomorrow for a night in Fraser then I see Sian again Wed night.

Lots of love to everyone

Mich
xxxxx

PS New Z on Sunday.. so not sure what net acess will be like on the road..

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